From the Royals to the Trudeaus — and even Prince Harry’s girlfriend, Meghan Markle — unique ribbed detailing has been spotted on the sleeves of celebs across the world. We chat with the designer behind it all, Bojana Sentaler, to find out what inspires her and why she loves coats.
What inspired you to pursue a career in fashion?
A chance meeting with fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld inspired me to start thinking about having my own fashion line. Later on I spent some time in Peru, where I discovered the beautiful fabric alpaca. I automatically fell in love with it and started designing my first collection.
Why did you focus on outerwear?
Growing up in Toronto, we spend almost eight months of the year wearing outerwear due to the cold climate. I discovered a gap in the market for luxury outerwear. That, combined with my love for coats, inspired me.
Where do you get your design inspiration from?
My inspiration usually comes from my travels. This season’s collection is based on everything I love — the classic Sentaler hooded wrap coats and the signature ribbed sleeve details. I used a lot of blue tones — midnight, denim and royal blue — combined with beautiful shades of mulberry and olive green. The collection was big on colour this year.
Tell us about Sentaler’s sustainability and ethical practices.
Every Sentaler coat is made with extreme care and attention to every detail. The alpaca fabrics that are used in the collection are obtained by shearing alpaca animals in an ethical way. The animals are very sacred to the Peruvian culture and are protected by their government. Sentaler is also fair trade. We are proud to work with and support local Peruvian families.
What are your plans for the holiday season?
We are giving back with the #Sentaler4SickKids initiative that supports the SickKids Foundation and the children at SickKids Hospital. The initiative runs until March, and proceeds from all hats sold will go directly to SickKids. I will also be hand-delivering hats as milestone gifts for the children at the hospital. It’s a really special initiative.